Petit apartheid refers to the hidden, informal types of racial bias that permeate various stages of the criminal justice system. Notably, these informal practices are not included in most evaluations of racial discrimination. This book offers the first detailed consideration of petit apartheid through a series of essays by criminal justice experts.

Petit Apartheid in the U.S. Criminal Justice System brings long-overdue attention to the reality of how race affects criminal justice processing. This volume makes a strong case that further research, new policy, and ultimately new practices are needed to stem the tide of racial bias in the criminal justice system.

"[The authors'] meticulous detailing of what petit apartheid looks like in action and what it sounds like in everyday exchanges promotes awareness—a mandatory starting place for changing habits or minds."—American Journal of Criminal Law, 2002